Follow the wildebeest across the Mara and Serengeti at the height of the drama. Private conservancies, dramatic river crossings, and camps positioned exactly where the herds move.
The Great Migration is not a single moment — it is a year-long circuit of more than two million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle moving in a great loop between Kenya's Maasai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti, chased by predators every step of the way. The skill of a Migration safari is in being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. This itinerary is built around that principle.
Begin with a soft landing at Hemingways Nairobi, then fly to the Mara for three nights at Paradise Plains — a tented camp positioned in the heart of the herds' Mara grazing grounds, with classic dramatic river crossing access between July and October. From there, fly across the border to the Serengeti for three nights at Nimali Serengeti, which moves seasonally to track the herds; depending on your travel dates, you'll be in the Southern, Central, Western, or Northern Serengeti to be exactly where the action is.
Why we love this journey — this is the Migration done with intent, not chance. We brief our guests honestly on what each month of the year delivers, then position camps accordingly. Expect long full-day game drives, dust on your boots, and the kind of wildlife sightings that change the way you think about the natural world.
Met on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International and transferred to Hemingways Nairobi. Early night recommended.
Fly from Wilson Airport to the Mara, where Paradise Plains is positioned for direct access to the Migration's Mara River crossing points. Three nights of full-day game drives, walking safaris, and the kind of dust-and-binoculars days the Migration is built for. Optional sunrise balloon flight with bush breakfast — strongly recommended at this property.
Light-aircraft flight from the Mara to the Serengeti, with a brief border-crossing assist at Migori or by direct charter depending on the day's schedule. Arrive at the Serengeti airstrip closest to your camp's seasonal position, where your Tanzanian guide is waiting to drive you in. Settle in over a late lunch and an afternoon game drive.
Two further days of game drives in whichever region the camp is currently positioned. The Serengeti is vast — five times the size of the Mara — and Nimali's seasonal positioning means you spend your time inside the action rather than driving to find it. Predator densities are exceptional; lion, cheetah, and leopard sightings are near-daily.
Final morning game drive en route to the airstrip, then light-aircraft flight back to Arusha or direct connection to Kilimanjaro International for your onward flight. Alternative routing via Nairobi can be arranged on request.
Colonial elegance in leafy Karen, featuring a Michelin-starred Dining Room and tranquil garden setting.
A classic tented camp positioned for direct access to the Migration's Mara River crossing points.
A seasonally-positioned tented camp that moves to follow the herds, putting you inside the Migration rather than driving to find it.
Share a few considered details, and your Safari Advisor will be in touch within 24 hours.
Set between Nairobi National Park and the foot of the Ngong Hills, Hemingways is an exclusive 45-suite boutique hotel with full butler service, a brasserie, and Karen's most tranquil gardens. Each suite features walk-in dressing rooms, Italian-marbled bathrooms, and terraces with views of the Ngong Hills.
The Dining Room serves cuisine from the hotel's Michelin-starred chef — contemporary European with international accents. The Brasserie offers light lunches overlooking the gardens.
A small luxury tented camp set in the Mara ecosystem with the kind of positioning that makes a meaningful difference during Migration season. Spacious safari tents with en-suite bathrooms, a comfortable mess tent for shared meals, a fire pit for sundowners, and the camp manager's personal involvement in every day's game-viewing strategy.
A note: specific suite counts and facilities to be confirmed with the operator at time of booking — the lodge name should be verified by your Safari Advisor.
Nimali Serengeti is part of the Nimali Africa portfolio of tented camps — designed to deliver authentic Serengeti immersion with classic safari aesthetics. The camp's seasonal positioning is its primary value: depending on your travel dates, you may be based in the Southern Serengeti for calving season (Jan–Mar), the Central or Western Serengeti for the herds' move north (Apr–Jun), or the Northern Serengeti for Mara River crossings (Jul–Oct).
Spacious canvas tents with private decks, en-suite bathrooms, and uninterrupted views of the surrounding plains. Meals are served in the central mess tent, on the deck, or as a bush breakfast or sundowner setup at a chosen vantage point. Full board with house wines, beers, and soft drinks throughout.
Curated, tested, and refined over years — our most loved itineraries across East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.
